New face, same result

With Paul Maurice back as coach, Canes lose fourth in row at home

For Paul Maurice, there would be no triumphant return.

If anything, Maurice's first game as the Carolina Hurricanes' coach was indicative of how much must change if this team is to turn around a season that not only has gone awry, but is fast turning ugly.

A day after firing Peter Laviolette, the Hurricanes were beaten 5-2 on Thursday by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the RBC Center. The Penguins, playing with skill and confidence, led 2-0 after the first period and 5-2 after the second, getting two power-play goals from Petr Sykora and four assists from Sidney Crosby.

Maurice tried to be as upbeat as possible after the game, praising his players' effort and willingness to fight. But he also was honest.

"We clearly have some work to do," he said. "Every team, every year, has to reestablish its identity as a team.

"Right now, I would say that would be our biggest challenge: establishing that identity. You can only do that with an amount of consistency."

The Canes had forward Justin Williams in the lineup for the first time this season. Williams, who tore an Achilles tendon in September, got more than 13 minutes of ice time and played hard.

"I was definitely the most excited guy in the building, just being part of the team again and contributing in a game," said Williams, who missed much of last season with a knee injury.

Though Williams gave his teammates an emotional lift and there were the two new faces behind the bench -- Maurice and associate head coach Ron Francis -- it wasn't enough. The Hurricanes outshot Pittsburgh 36-22 and got goals from Tuomo Ruutu and Matt Cullen, but there were defensive breakdowns, costly turnovers and shaky play at times from goaltender Michael Leighton, who was starting because Cam Ward was out with a groin injury.

The Penguins (15-6-4) blocked 24 shots and goalie Dany Sabourin was swift and strong in net, making 34 saves and snuffing out offensive chances by the Canes' Eric Staal and Joni Pitkanen, among others.

"It didn't happen for us," Cullen said. "I don't think it was a lack of effort by any means. We had a lot of opportunities but we gave up a lot of opportunities -- that was a problem.

"They're a good team. They figure out a way to win games. We have to find a way to do that. It's kind of a struggle right now but we've got to find a way to get through it."

The Penguins, beaten in a shootout Wednesday night against the New York Rangers, entered the game an NHL-worst 4-for-50 on the power play on the road. But Sykora scored twice, both on Crosby assists, as the Pens went 2-for-3 against the Canes.

Sykora's second goal came early in the second period, giving Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead.

Ruutu countered for the Hurricanes, only to have Miroslav Satan push the Penguins ahead 4-1.

Cullen's goal was the Canes' first on the power play in seven games.

But Pittsburgh turned a turnover in the Carolina end into a goal as Ruslan Fedotenko followed an Evgeni Malkin shot and scored off the rebound.

"We ran some high-risk things that went in the opposite direction for us," Maurice said. "We didn't give our goaltender a whole lot of help."

The Canes have lost five of their past six games, falling to 12-12-2. They have lost their past four at home. They lost another defenseman, Frantisek Kaberle, to injury. They've changed coaches, firing the man who led them to the Stanley Cup in 2006.

What now?

"You have to focus on getting better or you'll spiral downward," Cullen said. "Each person, each line.

"That's all you can worry about ... and hopefully things will turn around."